Automatic stop fok window-shade hollers



0. E. EDSTROM.

AUTOMATIC sToP Fon WINDOW SHADE ROLLERS.

APPLCATION FILED FEB. 26, 1918.

Patnted May 6, 1919.

A TTORNE YS.

OTTO E. nnsfrnoinyor sAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR WINDOW-SHADE ROLLERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 6, 1919.Y

.Application filed February 2G, 1918. Serial No. 219,308.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, Or'ro E. EDs'rnoM, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California,have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stops for lVindowsShade Rollers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic stop for window shade rollers.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, substantial, cheaply manufactured stop mechanism for window shade rollers and the like, whereby both the winding and unwinding movements of the shade cloth may be limited and automatically stopped. Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which not only serves as an automatic stop when the roller has turned a predetermined number of revolutions, but which also serves the purposeof a cushion or resilient stopA to prevent tearing of the shade cloth. Another `object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which may be applied to practically any standard form of shade roller employed and which permits lengthening or shortening of the roller to t windows of various widths. Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Figure 1 is a central, longitudinal section through a vportion of the roller.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section at gles to Fig. 1.

Fig. `3 is a perspective view of the free or floating end of the resilient stop.

Fig. e is a perspectiveview of the opposite or fixed end of the resilient stop. v

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the slotted spindle about which one end of the roller revolves.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of one half of the spindle. n f

Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2. i

Ilig. 8 is a perspective view of the bearing dis Fig. 9 is a plan view of one end of the shade roller and the cylindrical housing in which the stop mechanism is mounted;

Referring to the drawings in detail, A inright andicates a Astandard form of hollow shade roller, 2 the curtain or shade cloth attached thereto, `3 and 3 a pair of brackets in which the roller is supported, 4; the stationary central shaft about which the roller revolves, and 5 the winding spring, one end of which is secured to the shaft 4,'as. at 6, while the other end is attached to the roller in the usual manner. The ldifferent parts of the roller so far described are constructed, assembled and operated in the usual manner, while `the stop mechanism forming the subject-matter 4of the 'present invention is formed or attached to one end of the roller, as shown in Fig. 1.

The stop mechanism comprisesa cylindrical shaped housingl 7, in one end of which is secured a bearing disk 8. This disk may be secured .within the casing 7 in any suitable manner but preferably by beading' the casing, asshown at`9, with a suitable form of tool to secure the disk both against endwise and peripheral movement. Journaled in the bearing disk 8 and the closedend 10 of the casing is a slotted spindle whichconsists of two sections l1 and 12. Both ends of this spindle are rounded, as shown at 13, to permit the bearing disk 8 and the casing 7 to turn about the spindle', and one end is provided with a squared extension 14 which is adapted to be received by the bracket 3 toisecure the'spindle against revolving` `Suitably secured to the kbearing disk 8, as at 15, is a spiral spring 16; one end of this spring being hookshaped and secured to the disk 8, as shown at l5, while the op-y posite end is looped, as at 17, to form a resilient oating stop to be hereinafter described. Extending through the slotted por tion of the spindle is a linklS. This link is threaded over the coils of the spring 16 and forms a traveling stop which moves from one end of the slot to the other during the revolution of the roller, the link forming` a rigid stop when it engages the fixed end of the spring and the resilient stop when it engages the opposite end of the spring.

WVhen applying the stop mechanism here shown, it is only necessary to thread the link 18 upon the spring. The two sections of the spindle are then inserted in the casing 7 i the casing, as previously described. The attachment as a whole may then be slipped down the end of the roller A and either tacked thereto or secured by an offset formed in the tubing, such as shown at 20 in Figs. 7 and 9. The whole roller may then be placed in the bearing brackets 3 and 3a.

The operation will be as follows: With the roller mounted in the brackets the curtain or shade will be lowered in the usual manner by pulling'it in a downward direction against the tension of the winding spring 5. The bearing disk 8, the housing 7 and the spring 16 will in this instance revolve in unison with the shade roller as the shade is lowered. The revolving movement of the spring 16 will cause the link to travel in the direction of arrow a until where it is brought to a stop by the hooked portion formed at the fastened end of thev spring. A suicient number of turns is formed in the spiral spring to permit the roller to be turned a suiiicient number of times to lower the shade the desired distance. For instance, if it takes ten revolutions of the roller to lower the shade even with the window sill then ten turns will be provided in the spiral spring. The curtain or shade is thus'automatically stopped when the desired position is secured and the cloth is prevented from being turned or jerked away from the roller as the curtain in this position is not entirely unwound.

The curtain or shade is re-rolled in the usual manner by the winding spring 5 and it is automatically stopped before the slot 21 at the lower end of the window reaches the roller proper or the brackets by which the roller is supported, as reverse revolving movement of the roller and the spiral spring causes the link to travel along the slot in a direction opposite to arrow a where it iinally engages the looped floating end of the spring indicated at 17. The position of the stop or loop 17 is such that the curtain is stopped when the slat comes to a position within two or three inches of the curtain roller proper. The slat is thus prevented from revolving around the roller, thereby preventing the spring 5 from unwinding and losing its tension, and it also prevents the cloth from being torn away from the slat proper as is usually the case. y

An automatic and resilient stop is thus provided which prevents the curtain from being jerked oli' or torn away from the roller and prevents the roller from assuming a dead lock or center position which is generally assumed when the curtain is pulled to its extreme lower-most position. This is not possible in the present instance as the end of the spiral spring 16 stops the roller from revolving within two or three turns of the last section of the cloth. The loop on the opposite end, of course, cushions the movement of the roller, thereby not only limiting the distance the curtain is rewound but also eliminating undue strain on the different connected parts.

The materials and finish of the several parts of the device may be such as the eX- perience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate. I wish it understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details oi' construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims and that I do not wish to limi-t myself to the specific design and construction hereV shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Lette-rs Patent is- 1. The combination with a window shade roller and a shade cloth mounted thereon, of a cap-like, cylindrical member secured on one end of the roller, a stationary slotted spindle forming a bearing for one end of the roller, a spiral spring secured to the roller' surrounding the stationary spindleA within the cap, a stop member slidably mounted in the slotted spindle through which the spiral spring is threaded, and a stop on the free end of the spring with which the sliding stop member is adapted to engage and cushion the movement of the rroller when the roller has been turned a predetermined number of revolutions.

2. The combination with a shade roller, of'

a slotted spindle forming a bearing member for one end of the roller, means for securing the spindle against revolving, a link mounted in the slotted portion of the spindle, and a spiral spring surrounding the spindle and threaded through the link, said spring being secured at oneI end to the roller to revolve in unison therewith and having a stop member formed on the opposite end.

3. The combination with a shade roller, of a slotted spindle forming a bearing member for one end of the roller, means for securing the spindle against revolving, a link mounted in the slotted portion of the spindle, a spiral spring surrounding the spindle and threaded through the link, a hook formed on one end of the spring, means se'- curing the spring to the roller to permit it to revolve in unison therewith, a loop on the free end of the spring forming a resilient stop for the traveling link when the shade yis rewound, said hook on the opposite end of the spring forming a stop to limit the unwinding movement of the roller, and a casing secured on the end of the roller forming a closure for the spring and spindle and a bearing member for the roller.

4. The combination with a window shade roller and the shade cloth wound thereon, of a stationary spindle, 'forming a bearing member for one end of the roller, a stop member carried by the spindle and slidable thereon, means for imparting a reciprocal movement to the stop member When the shade roller is being turned to Wind or un- Wind the cloth, means carried by the roller engageable with said stop to positively limit the number of revolutions of the roller when being unWound, said means also adapted to stop the turning movement of the roller when rewinding and to cushion the movement thereof.

5. The combination with a Window shade roller and the shade cloth mounted thereon ofastationary spindle Jforming a support and bearing member for one end of the roller, a

slidably mounted stop member carried by the spindle, and means on the roller engageable with said stop to positively limit the number of revolutions of the roller when un- Winoling and to positively limit and cushion the turning movement of the roller when rewinding.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

OTTO E. EDSTROM.

Witnesses:

J OHN H. HERRING, W. W. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for nve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latenti, Washington, D. C. 

